Home : Blogs : Kathleen "Kate" Elim LAKE ANNA, VA Real Estate : Lake Anna VA Real Estate Specialist - Kathleen Elim

Should We or Shouldn't We?

Recently there have been some posts on the value of writing about things other than hard core real estate on Active Rain.

Are we diluting our effectiveness if we write about restaurants we frequent, fun things to do, unique places to shop, upcoming activities, points of interest, and all the other things that can be written about our local markets?

Lake Anna

Like most topics here on the Rain, there's more than one point of view.

About a week ago I posted, Seeing the World Through Active Rain Eyes, in which I mentioned how many pictures I have been taking and how Active Rain as opened up my eyes to so many things simply because I want to write about them and share the information and photos with others.

There were a good number of comments including one from Kelly Sibilsky:

"Don't forget to take some time out to sell some houses! :)".

This is excellent advice which needs to be paramount with all of us. As much fun as we may have on the Rain and as interesting as all the information there is here, we are in the business of helping people buy and sell real estate.

My belief is that we can have it all. We can do the hard core writing and the "newsy" topics also.

This year to date, I have as many transactions settled as I did all of last year. Thankfully I am still finding plenty of time to do that and plenty of people are finding me, some perhaps because of Activer Rain.

I am finishing up my first post on a local business. I have written about the two distinct sides of Lake Anna and also about the fact that even waterfront property owners do not have to purchase flood insurance. These, and many other topics I've covered, are of importance to people considering a move to this area and certainly is something discussed when they come to me to purchase real estate.

Real estate encompasses not just the logistics of the purchase and the market value of comparative properties, it includes a way of living. Different communities project different personalities, different lifestyles. People like knowing what the differences are.

Active Rain and now Localism have provided me with an outlet to provide this type of information. No one has contacted me to give them a restaurant but one soon to be vacationer here did send me an e-mail last evening asking about local medical facilities. Another, an avid fisherman from out of the area, recently asked for an update on the lake's water level.

I do not mind being the "go to" person for the answers to these and other questions about the Lake Anna area. Who knows, maybe the next question they ask could be more real estate related. They will also think of me if any of their friends ask them if they know an agent at Lake Anna.

This is just one of the many ways that Active Rain and the variety of topics we write creates the feeling that we are not only knowledgeable about our area but, more importantly, willing to share this information even when it is not directly regarding real estate.

Kelly wrote a great post that touches on the need to concentrate on more hard core real estate topics.

I would like to know your thoughts.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

If you or someone you know is thinking of buying or selling property at or near Lake Anna, Virginia please contact Kathleen "Kate" Elim, REALTOR®.

Kate lives at Lake Anna, knows Lake Anna, loves Lake Anna, and specializes in Lake Anna area real estate.

Call Kate at 540-226-1964 or by e-mail at lakeanna.kate@gmail.com. Be sure to check Kate's Web sites and blog at http://lakeannaandbeyond.com/ or http://lakeannacountry.com/

Posted by Kathleen "Kate" Elim LAKE ANNA, VA Real Estate on 08/11/2008 10:52 PM

Comments (22)

lake anna, virginia realtors, real estate, kelly sibilsky

Originally posted at: Lake Anna Country: Should We or Shouldn't We?

Post is included in group: Dedicated Bloggers
Post is included in group: Local Expert
Post is included in group: Posts to Localism
Post is included in group: Realtors®
Post is included in group: RE/MAX Active Rain Bloggers

22 Comments on Should We or Shouldn't We?

AUG

2008

Hey Kate, I am with you. Active Rain feels very productive to me, both for real estate and touching my community. And I am starting to get REAL business from it, which is a huge bonus. Win, win. I love the variety on AR, and the service we provide on our wonderful communities through localism.

"It's ALL GOOD!"

BethAnn in Spokane

Kate....my camera goes with me everywhere. In fact, I've got so many pictures now, I forget where and how I filed them on my laptop when it comes time for a blog. I think I'm going to have to make duplicate files?

I think it's important for us to blog about real estate issues that we can all relate to and learn from. But it's also important for us to blog about things in our 'hood! How else do we tell people we know the area where we work. I want to do a whole series on the different condo buildings in my community so that way people know that I know my product! Heck...look at what time it is and I'm still in the office! Whew! Thank goodness it's only a block walk home!

I think it is nice to be an expert on your area. It helps us as realtors to be knowledgeable enough to point out some good restaurants and points of interest for our clients and our friends.

All work and no play, how dull would that be.

Like the diversity offered by AR.

Good place to look at different communities, people, and how things are done.

Great post.

Thanks for sharing.

Linda Active Rain does offer a lot of diversity and it is good, I agree.

Thanks,

Tom Davis

World Class DE Realtor

Kate, I vote for variety as you suggest as well. Real estate encompasses much of life and that is what should be written about: life. Although I did appreciate Kelly's article, like when did we turn into restaurant review critics.

AUG

2008

KATE - This is not going to be a popular opinion, but I'm going to say it anyway. The quality of posts on Active Rain has diminished as the member numbers have risen. There was a time when I would spend a lot of time on here learning and commenting. Now, there are times that I can't even find 10 posts per day to comment on. I know that every business needs to grow, and that people will always long for "the good old days," but the growth on AR (to me) is becoming a negative.

I certainly don't believe that everything should be real estate because it would get boring, and there are only so many times that we can each read about the same topic. However, I see a lot of people that post mostly off-topic posts that aren't particularly interesting or enlightening in any way. The way that I see it, the point system is broken and needs fixing.

Kate, I like a variety of posts from my subscribers. I have been doing more on localism to build up my communities but I know they can be rather boring to your subscribers. It is just getting use to doing things a different way for me and talking to a different audience.

Kate, I love letting consumers see a bit of you and showing places of where you've been and what you've seen, I think it allows them to see the "real" you and it makes them comfortable with you as well. Great post and topic, I know I love reading it all!

We all need to have a little off topic fun. I am guilty of posting non-real estate related topics. There are many good agents here that I am getting to know personally through those posts. My membership has only been for a short time but I am giving and receiving referrals. I am going to send business to people I like and respect.

Kate, I agree. I think we should post about all different types of things. If what we are doing is trying to show the folks who we are, then that is part of our make up. I know it should mostly be about real estate but there is more to us then that.

Kate - If you don't mind the link here, I wrote a very long post about this awhile back, and I thought the debate might lie dormant a little longer than it has:

My Perspective on the Great ActiveRain Content Debate of 2008

Kate

Your post Seeing the World Through Active Rain Eyes is what inspired me to write about local places and transcend the real estate focused box. When we are focused on anything that we are passionate about - I believe we are serving our purpose. Life without passion is boring - real estate related or not. Again, it is about perspective - one reader may feel a post is boring or the content was not good - and another may actually find value in the same post.

I use Active Rain as a business building tool, so I'm mindful of what I write, who my target audience is and what I hope to achieve by the articles I write. A combination of real estate, local, and personal articles show that I am well-rounded, but the most important articles I write demonstrate my real estate expertise.

Hi BethAnn...I'm glad you are enjoying Active Rain and finding it a good place to be. Happy to hear it is bringing you business.

Keep at it!

Kate

AUG

2008

Kate: I agree with you that variety is good. All the hardcore real estate posts are not fun to read for me and others here in our sphere.

IMHO these posts get the least comments from AR members.

But we don't post for AR members, they aren't the ones who will be buying or selling a home in our area.

So, blog about what you like: your area, restaurants, weather, real estate, mailboxes, it is all OK to me.

AUG

2008

Kate I believe in "variety. Many of my posts are about community service, not just community. I try yo show activities that are available in the area, Karen

I think that anything is fair game to write about as long as there is a hint of real estate in it.

AUG

2008

Kate - I think it's okay to write about different topics. I think people like to know what a realtor is like in areas other than real estate. I know that I find it very interesting... :)

AUG

2008

Kate,

AR has opened a whole new "vision" for me and I think I have become more well-rounded in information. No, not every post is "newsy" but the information is helpful. I have had comment from several residents on the Mount Dora Veterinary Clinic. That information, while not useful to an agent in New Mexico was extremely helpful to two people looking for a veterinarian in Mount Dora.

And I love reading about your area so please don't stop posting the beautiful pictures and articles. (That goes for many other bloggers on AR also.)

Gorgeous Picture - Good post. I agree with you. I also have been using AR to learn about new places that I might want to visit. Where I might want to end up investing in. For me, I want a Realtor that knows the area, that likes the people, and is enthused with the community itself. Localism highlights that.

AUG

2008

I'm with you - hard core real estate talk can be monotonous. But I can surely provide info about activities and highlights in my area. It really all boils down to real estate anyway doesn't it? Since it's about location, location, location... all the rest is details.

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